Big bucks ride on ailing Big B

With actor Amitabh Bachchan, 69, revealing that he is still recuperating from his multiple abdominal surgeries and would be on bed rest for the next few months, industry sources say that filmmakers will now have to work out their dates keeping the actor’s health in mind.

With actor Amitabh Bachchan, 69, revealing that he is still recuperating from his multiple abdominal surgeries and would be on bed rest for the next few months, industry sources say that filmmakers will now have to work out their dates keeping the actor’s health in mind.

An estimated R80 crore is riding on the ailing actor, who was admitted in Mumbai’s Seven Hills Hospital on February 11. On Tuesday, Big B tweeted, “Looks like a few more days then before they set me free ... but recovery at home will be another few months.”

The projects that are likely to be affected by his illness are Shirish Kunder’s Common Man, Sudhir Mishra’s Mehrunnisa and Prakash Jha’s next. Actor Rishi Kapoor, who stars with Bachchan in Mehrunnisa, has confirmed that the makers have pushed the shooting from April to October. Kunder, too, says that he will have to wait. “My film will only start when Mr Bachchan is comfortable.”

Trade analyst Amod Mehra says, “Per project, approximately R20-25 crore is riding on him. The makers will have to work around his convenience”. The actor’s endorsements are also likely to get affected. “He is endorsing more than 20 brands. There is about Rs20-30 at stake,” says adman Prahlad Kakkar.